Ulysseus Supports the Fourth Edition of the JoinUS Challenge for Primary and Secondary School Students
The initiative seeks to foster research and science communication among younger generations while supporting progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
A total of 30 groups of students across Seville participated in the fourth edition of the JoinUS challenge. Launched to inspire future generations of scientists, JoinUS brings cutting-edge research from the University of Seville directly into primary and secondary school classrooms.
Through a series of audiovisual resources, researchers from a broad range of disciplines showcase how their work contributes to tackling some of today’s most pressing societal challenges. By engaging students with real-world scientific challenges, JoinUS promotes critical thinking, creativity, and a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, while helping to bridge the gap between universities and schools.
To enter the challenge, participants completed an initial questionnaire based on scientific projects featured on the JoinUS website. In addition, they created videos that proposed solutions to real-world issues aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda which were then evaluated by a panel of experts.
Following a highly competitive judging process, the first prize went to Raíces Unidas, a team from Colegio Pontífice Pablo VI, which was awarded €500 to support educational resources and school activities.
The close scoreline also prompted the jury to grant a Special Mention to Guardianes del Futuro 4.0 from Colegio Buen Pastor, which received €250 in recognition of its outstanding work. The winning entries impressed the jury with their ability to address pressing social and environmental challenges through innovative, practical solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating both creativity and a strong commitment to sustainable development.
In addition, all finalists and semi-finalist teams received scientific calculators featuring the image of University of Seville science communicator Clara Grima. Students, teachers, and schools also received Jot Down Kids magazines and various gifts provided by the University of Seville and the Higher Technical School of Engineering (ETSI).
The IV JoinUS Challenge is an initiative funded by the Scientific Outreach Office of the University of Seville, Ulysseus European University and the Social Council of the University of Seville. Additionally, the awards were supported through the collaboration of the corporate chairs of Aborgase, Moeve, and EMASESA, the Sustainable Production Systems and Services research team of FIUS, Jot Down Magazine, FabLab Sevilla, and the School of Engineering of the University of Seville.
About Ulysseus
Ulysseus is one of the 73 European Universities alliances selected by the European Commission under its flagship initiative of the European strategy for universities. These alliances, co-funded by the European Commission, bring together almost 650 higher education institutions of all types from across Europe.
Led by the University of Seville, the Ulysseus European University Alliance encompasses seven other partner universities: the Université Côte d’Azur (France), University of Genoa (Italy), the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® (Austria), Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), the University of Münster (Germany), and the University of Montenegro (Montenegro).